A Bit of Hope
by musicalmidget
Summary: Bella was ready to give up everything to be with Edward, including being a mother. When a trip to the mall with Alice makes Bella's mind uneasy, she can only think of one thing. Having a child with Edward. But soon finds out no child would be safe.


Bella Swan, a plain girl from Forks, Washington

Bella Swan, a plain girl from Forks, Washington. The kind of girl who would never in a million years would capture the attention of someone as dazzling and gorgeous as Edward Cullen. Though Edward was different. Edward was a vampire. It didn't matter to Bella that he could kill her in a split second all that mattered that she loved him. The word that described her current relationship with him was still more than she could muster. _Fiancée. _She was marrying this creature, no not a creature this angel, her angel.

Today was nothing out of the ordinary. Alice, who might as well be called her sister, had taken Bella from Edward once again. Bella complained the whole ride to the mall. She had given all plans to Alice and made her the creative genius. If Bella had her way she would have eloped to Vegas and called it good, but the look on Alice's face when she saw what they had been planning made Bella melt. She caved and gave into he tiny vampire's pleas. Alice was dead set on making Bella try on lingerie for the wedding night. She knew that night would be the most special for the both of them. Bella would finally get the one thing Edward had been so keen on keeping from her. Not for his own purpose but for her safety. Bella tried and tried to tell him he would never hurt her but Edward didn't want to take the chance. So here she was in Seattle largest mall, trying on bra and panty sets from Victoria Secret.

"Alice, this is mortifying! Do I have to show you every set I try on? You know what I'm getting anyway." She complained as she tried to cover herself. She had never been this exposed. She felt horrible that Alice was seeing more of her than Edward ever had.

"Don't be silly, Bella." The little vampire said in her melodic voice, and threw another set to her. Bella held them up and gasped.

"Alice, there's nothing to this!" she said, her eyes widening at the piece of fabric in her hands. Alice just rolled her eyes and pushed Bella into the dressing room. Bella stripped from the current set and put on the black and red bra and panty set. It was more like a bra and a piece of lace. It barely covered anything.

"I am not coming out in this. Edward will never see this on me." She said, taking it off. Alice whined, begging her to come out.

"No Alice. I'm not doing it. Can we just go now?" she asked, pulling her own clothes on.

"But…" Alice protested.

"Alice, I'm hungry." She told her and Alice complied.

"You humans and you're eating." Alice said disgusted. Bella smiled, she knew she could get her way by pulling the food card. Alice tapped her foot impatiently on the floor as Bella dressed.

"Come on Bella. You take far too long to get dressed." She whined.

"We all don't have super speed Alice."

"You will soon enough."

"I know. But for now you just have to deal with my slow human pace." She said, as she pulled her shirt over her head.

Twenty minutes later Bella and Alice were stationed at a table in the food court. Bella mindlessly ate her sandwich as Alice rested her chin on one hand and taped the iron weaved surface of the table with her perfectly manicured nails.

"Alice, why don't you go do something? You know you've still not bought your bridesmaids dress, which I find very unlike you. " Bella suggested as she set her sandwich on the paper it had been wrapped in.

"Edward will shoot me if I leave you alone."

"And what Edward doesn't know, won't hurt him. He can't make you watch me twenty four seven. Go have some fun. I'm not going anywhere. You're a phone call away." She said, patting her pocket. Edward insisted she take a phone with her.

"Ok, but don't go far! We still have loads more to do before we leave." She said, jumping from her chair. She was gone before Bella could respond. Bella leaned against the iron chair, sipping on her coke. She watched the numerous families, laughing and having fun. One person caught her eye. It was a young girl, about Bella's age or a little older. She sat at the table alone, minus the stroller next to her. The girl sat silent as she ate the food in front of her. At first Bella though the child in the stroller was a sibling but they way the girl looked over at the baby every few minutes, suggested that she was in fact the child's mother. As the child began to stir the girl reached over and picked the infant up, cuddling it against her chest. Bella smiled. She was giving that up to be with Edward. Bella sighed, placing the cup on the tray. She stood, the chair squealing in protest as it was shoved against the tiled floor. She walked the few steps to the trashcan and emptied her half eaten meal into the garbage. With her arms wrapped around herself, she walked away from the food court.

She looked through the windows of the various shops in the mall. Each had several displays, tactic for the possible shopper. She laughed. None of the clothes looked the way they did on the mannequins, unless you were Alice or Rosalie. Both were the exception to every rule of fashion. She smiled at the small children that ran all over the mall play place. The mothers of each child, talked with other people while never taking their full attention from their child. She watched as one child, a little boy, fall from the slide and erupt in tears. A man who had to be as big as Emmett ran to him and picked him up, soothing the boy and checking him for possible injuries. The thought of a man that size, turn to a pile of mush all from the cries of a little boy made Bella smile. Her mind went straight to her Edward, A man who was built to have a family. He's kind, caring, lovable and everything that a father should be, but his life, no his existence wouldn't allow that. It broke Bella's heart that she couldn't give him the family he deserved. But deep down she knew it was hurting her as well. She knew that Edward would always be enough for her, but the mother in her wanted more. Her thoughts traveled to the discussion she had with Rosalie. Was she really ready to give up that? The possibilities of hearing your child say mommy or the light in an infant's eye when they see your face? Bella sighed, running her hand through her long brown hair. She honestly didn't know. Her thoughts were interrupted when a little girl came running up to her. She tugged on Bella's shirt and Bella looked down at her.

"Hi there." Bella said as she stooped to the little girls level. The little girl pulled at her pigtailed braids and smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Emily. What's your name?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm Bella. How old are you Emily?"

"I'm 4. I'm a big girl."

"I can see that. Where is your mommy?" Bella asked. Emily shrugged.

"I don't know. I was playing with the dollies in there and when I turned around she was gone. Can you help me find her, Bella?" she asked. Bella smiled and held her hand out to her. Emily instead raised her arms up, asking to be held. Bella reached over and picked her up.

"Do you know what her name is?"

"Mommy." She said, confidently. Bella giggled.

"Ok, then." She said and looked around.

"Do you see her?" Bella asked, holding Emily a little higher.

"There she is! I see her!" she yelled pointing across the gap. The woman stood in the middle of the mall, talking to a police officer. Bella walked over and tapped the woman on the shoulder. She turned around.

'Emily!" she exclaimed taking the little girl from Bella.

"Hi mommy. Bella helped me find you!" she said, hugging her mother.

"Thank you so much. I hope she didn't cause you too much trouble."

"Not at all. She's a very sweet little girl."

"Thank you again. Tell Bella goodbye and thank you."

"Thank you Bella!" Emily said and reached over to hug Bella.

"You're welcome. You try not to run off again ok?" she said with a wink. The little girl nodded furiously, her pigtails bouncing freely.

Bella smiled and walked away from them. Once again, she wrapped around her waist. She sighed as she felt the silver phone in her pocket vibrate against her leg. She picked it up and looked at the number.

"Hello Alice." She said into the phone.

"Hi, Bella, are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yes, I think I've had enough Barbie Bella for the day." She said, laughing. Alice scoffed and then hung up the phone. No more than a minute had passed and the pixie little vampire was standing next to her.

"Come on. Edward is going to start worrying." She said and grabbed Bella's arm and pulled her from the play place. Bella looked back and smiled again at the happy children play. Bella had to think of something.

Later that evening Bella fired up her ancient computer and taped against the wood of her desk as it roared to life. She had to think of a way to get what she and Edward wanted. A family. Bella knew it had to be possible. There was no doubt in her mind that she could have a child. It was Edward who couldn't. She had thought long and hard about it the entire way home and while she was with Edward. This was a time when she was glad he couldn't read her thoughts. This was something she needed to research before she discussed it with him. After replying to one of Renée's emails she went to the google search engine and started her quest.


End file.
